Issue 2 of Coming Home shares stories from LGBTQ+ veterans who experienced life in the Armed Forces before the lifting of the ‘gay ban’ in 2000.
The beautiful spread cover for this issue is by Ed Firth (artist in residence at the Tom of Finland house).
Coming Home comic
Coming Home is an anthology comic sharing true stories of UK military veterans’ mental health.
Veterans work online with Re-Live to explore and adapt their stories into comics in a co-created and therapeutic process.
The work invites each veteran to develop their own narrative, and work with a professional cartoonist to realise it as a finished story.
The result is a collection of deeply personal stories — offering a window into experiences that are not often seen or spoken about, and inviting a wider understanding of life within and beyond the Armed Forces.
Coming Home comic Issue 2 shares stories from LGBTQ+ veterans who experienced life in the Armed Forces before the lifting of the ‘gay ban’ in 2000. Made in partnership with Fighting With Pride, the LGBTQ+ military veterans charity.
40 pages, colour.
Features art by Ed Firth, Anna Readman, Ria Grix and AJ O’Neill.
Coming Home can be purchased in comic shops in UK, Ireland, USA and Australia from January 8th 2025.
Coming Home comic, Issue 1. Re-Live’s first Life Story comic sharing veterans’ true mental health stories.
40 pages, colour.
Features art by Ian Kennedy, Emma Vieceli, Mike Donaldson, Clark Bint, Keith Page and Casey Raymond.
Coming Home can be purchased in comic shops in UK, Ireland, USA and Australia from November 16th. Please see Coming Home comic page for full list of stockists.
Issue 2 of Coming Home shared stories from LGBTQ+ veterans who experienced life in the Armed Forces before the lifting of the ‘gay ban’ in 2000.
Under the ban, thousands of LGBTQ+ service personnel were subjected to surveillance and interrogation, and faced Court Martials, dismissals for conduct unbecoming, and even imprisonment. Many were left carrying the impact of the shame and punishments inflicted.
Created in partnership with Fighting With Pride, the comic offered a space for these stories to be told — some for the first time — through a careful, co-creative process.
For those involved, the process of making the comic was as important as the final work. As one veteran reflected:
“You don’t have to explain, warts and all, what happened to you. You say, okay, well, have a read… and then you’ll know where I’m coming from.”
Alongside the honesty of these experiences, the work also held a sense of hope. Through being heard, seen, and shared, stories that had been hidden for decades began to shift — opening up new understanding for those who lived them, and for those encountering them now.
The comic was released in comic shops across the UK and internationally on 8th January 2025, marking the 25th anniversary of the lifting of the ‘gay ban’ in the Armed Forces on 12th January.
Corporal Ruth Birch and Private Julia Currey met while serving with the British Army in 1980s. After instantly falling in love at first sight they began a secret relationship with its own coded messages until they were eventually discovered by the Army, forcing them to split up following interrogation by the Special Investigation Branch. Their love story is humorous, harrowing and ultimately a triumph of romance. Their artist, Anna Readman (winner of the Observer/Faber graphic short story prize 2023) illustrates Ruth & Ju’s dual story.
PRESS ABOUT COMING HOME ISSUE 2
LGBTQ+ lifestyle magazine Attitude
COMING HOME ISSUE 2 IS KINDLY SPONSORED BY:
“Important stories from voices we hear too little of” - Garth Ennis (writer - The Boys/Punisher)
COMING HOME ISSUE 1
Coming Home issue 1 was released in November 2022.
It shares mental health stories from veterans Robbie, Stan, Claire and Dave, and covers topics including Moral Injury, Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and depression during the transition from the military back to civilian life.
The comic featured artwork from Mike Donaldson (The Broons/The Dandy), Emma Vieceli (Breaks/Life is Strange), Keith Page (Commando), Clark Bint (Killtopia/Heavy Metal), and Casey Raymond (zine artist).
The painted front cover was created by legendary comics artist Ian Kennedy. Ian painted over 1300+ covers for Commando comic. Our front cover was the last work Ian created, at the age of 89, after a career that spanned 60 years in comics.
Coming Home issue 1 can be purchased directly from Re-Live’s shop, or ordered through your local comic shop.
COMING HOME ISSUE 1 ARTWORK EXHIBITIONS
To celebrate the launch of Coming Home there was an exhibition of the original artwork from the comic at Panel Gallery, Northampton, November-December 2022.
This was followed by exhibitions of the artwork in Dublin for Creative Brain Week at Trinity College in 2023, and an exhibition at St. Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff as part of the Being Human Festival.
COMING HOME ISSUE 1 WAS KINDLY SUPPORTED BY:
